Six-time major champion Phil Mickelson has officially withdrawn from The Open Championship, citing a family health emergency as the reason for his continued absence from professional golf. The decision comes as new, detailed allegations of past sexual misconduct have surfaced.
Mickelson will miss The Open, where he has an exemption to play until age 60 as a former champion, for the first time in 17 years. He has competed in only one LIV Golf event this year.
The withdrawal follows a report by Skratch, featuring golf writer Alan Shipnuck, that details an allegation from Ashley Perez, the former wife of fellow Tour professional Pat Perez. According to the report, Mickelson allegedly showed Ashley Perez a naked photograph of himself with an erect penis during the Barclays tournament in 2015.
Ashley Perez told Skratch that the incident occurred at Mickelson's villa while her husband was briefly out of the room. She claims Mickelson then propositioned her, stating, "I'm going to leave my bedroom door open tonight. When Pat falls asleep I want you to come see me." Perez stated she declined his advances and did not immediately inform her husband.
When Pat Perez was eventually told, he confronted Mickelson, who reportedly apologized. However, Pat Perez later described an ongoing animosity, saying Mickelson had "crossed the line with me that is just uncrossable and unforgivable."
Ashley Perez reportedly possesses a recording of a 26-minute phone call between Pat Perez and Mickelson, during which Mickelson is said to have expressed embarrassment and asked if the image shown was "topless" rather than fully nude. Shipnuck also reported listening to this recording.
These allegations emerge amid other recent claims of inappropriate behavior. Earlier this month, Golf Digest reported that Mickelson had been removed from membership at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California, following accusations of inappropriate physical contact with a female staff member. A representative confirmed he had resigned from the club, and a display of his achievements there has since been removed.
The Skratch report also includes an account from another woman who described an encounter during a tournament dinner where Mickelson allegedly made inappropriate and graphic sexual comments and propositions. Ashley Perez also described a separate prior dinner where she claims Mickelson steered the conversation toward "very dark and sexual" topics with graphic gestures.
A spokeswoman for Mickelson provided a statement to Skratch, saying, "Some of the allegations circulating about Mr Mickelson are false, and others revisit mistakes he has already acknowledged, publicly or privately. Recovery is not a straight line. Mr Mickelson's priority is to become the husband, father, and man his family deserves."
Mickelson's attorney, Tom Clare, criticized the reporting in a statement to The California Post, calling it "reckless" and a "pursuit of clicks at the expense of the truth."
Mickelson has not competed since the LIV Golf event in South Africa in March, having also missed the Masters and the PGA Championship. His exemption for the U.S. Open has expired, and he was not extended a special invitation to this week's event.